Elmer S. Strause Jr.

Elmer S. Strause Jr., 93, passed away

Monday, April 11, 2016 at the Ben Atchley State Veterans Home, Knoxville, TN,

following a five year struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. Born on September 10, 1922 in Shillington, he was a son of the late

Elmer S. Sr. and Mabel V. (Gaul) Strause.

After attending Shillington schools for 11 years, Elmer graduated from Ephrata High School in 1940 due to his father's temporary change of employment as a foreman in a knitting mill in the Ephrata area.

His first summer after graduation saw him working at the Lititz Trap Factory and that convinced him to enlist in the Army where training for the Signal Corps suited his demeanor.

When the U.S. entered World War II, Elmer took

advanced training to become a Flying Sergeant and flew B24 and B25 planes during the war, eventually earning the rank of Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.

On leave in early 1944, he became reacquainted with a Shillington High School classmate, Jeanne Swartz, whom he married on May 2nd of that year.

Upon discharge from the Army in late 1945, Elmer

attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science and graduated with a B.S. in Pharmacy in June 1949. He then began his career working for Bamford's Pharmacy in Reading where he met fellow pharmacist, William Alsdorf, and together they bought Penn Rexall Pharmacy building at 8th and Penn St., Reading, in 1954. Both men worked in the pharmacy and refurbished the building that housed other businesses and apartments.

Having a love for traveling throughout his adult life, Elmer semi-retired in the early 1990s so he and Jeanne would have more time for family, friends and extended travel.

When his bride of 66 years died in early 2010, Elmer

decided to move to Augusta, GA, to live with his second daughter, Renee, so he could enjoy warm winters during his final years of life.

When Renee's family moved to Knoxville, TN, to be closer to their son, Keith and his growing family, he gladly tagged along and soon became a resident in an assisted living

facility in 2013. Elmer was recently moved to Ben Atchley State VA Home under hospice care.

After a long goodbye, Elmer will be reunited with his

beloved Jeanne in the "great beyond."

Surviving are two daughters, Elaine S., wife of John K. Brubaker Jr., of Lititz, and J. Renee, wife of Roger W. Alley, of Knoxville, TN; and son, Delvin T. Strause of Sinking Spring; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Also surviving is an older sister, Grace Conner of Lancaster; and a younger brother, Richard Strause of Mt. Penn.

He was predeceased by one grandson, John K. Brubaker III in 2014.

A graveside service will be private and at the family's

convenience in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Reading.

Auman's Inc. Funeral Home, Reading, is entrusted with the arrangements.

www.aumansinc.com